About Still Smiling
About Still Smiling
Still Smiling is a feature documentary and storytelling project that follows Lady O on a deeply personal journey across Africa, from South Africa, to Burkina Faso, to Nigeria, and beyond, as she reconnects with her ancestral roots, she reclaims the identity, heritage, and language of her ancestors. Through authentic conversations, breathtaking landscapes, and meaningful cultural experiences, the film celebrates identity, resilience, obedience, perseverance, action and the power of human connection.
More than a travel documentary, Still Smiling is an invitation to embrace the unknown, trust intuition, honor our heritage, and discover that it is never too late to begin a new chapter.
Meet Opa Favél Marsha Hope Day
Lady O
For Lady O, turning 50 was not a milestone to fear. It was an opportunity to pursue a dream that had been waiting for years. With an open heart and a passion for storytelling, she set out to explore Africa, from South Africa, to Burkina Faso, ending in Nigeria, she connects with the people and experience the cultures that have shaped part of her identity.
Along the way, she shares moments of joy, reflection, and discovery that remind us how travel can transform not only the way we see the world, but also the way we see ourselves.
Across Africa
From the Sahel of West Africa to the southern tip of the continent, the documentary moves through cities and villages across three nations that anchor the story. The full route unfolds on the map below.
Cultural Significance
Each place on this route carries meaning beyond its coordinates. Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city, is a crossroads of southern African culture and history, and the nation is home to the Durban International Film Festival, one of the continent's most celebrated cinematic gatherings. Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, is the cultural and political heart of the nation and home to FESPACO, the largest pan-African film festival. Bobo-Dioulasso, the second city, is a living center of traditional music, weaving, and the grand Sudano-Sahelian mosque. Onward to Nigeria, West Africa's most populous nation and a powerhouse of film, music, and storytelling, home to the Africa International Film Festival in Lagos. Together these places hold the stories, traditions, and encounters that shape the journey home.
Project Timeline
From production to the festival circuit
- 1
Production & Travel
Q4 2027 to Q2 2028
- 2
Post-Production
Q3 2028 to Q1 2029
- 3
FESPACO
Burkina Faso Film Festival
Q1 2029
- 4
DIFF
Durban International Film Festival, South Africa
Q3 2029
- 5
AFRIFF
Africa International Film Festival, Nigeria
Q4 2029
A Light on Africa
Every culture holds stories that deserve to be heard. Still Smiling shines a light on the beauty, traditions, resilience, and everyday lives of the people of South Africa, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria, while encouraging meaningful cultural understanding and genuine human connection.
This project is built on the belief that our differences make us unique, but our shared experiences bring us together.
While Lady O's journey is rooted in her own ancestry, its light is meant to shine across all three nations, in the hope that it helps close the divide left by the colonial Scramble for Africa between 1884 and 1914. Lady O invites the sons and daughters of Africa to see what has always been in plain sight: your DNA connects you to the land of your ancestors, a truth no colonial rule or scientific manipulation can void. LAND, read backwards, begins with DNA, a reminder of that connection.
Shedding light on Africa.
~ Lady O
Inspire New Beginnings
Our mission is to inspire black people with woolly hair to embrace new beginnings, reconnect with their roots, and celebrate the richness of their cultures on their motherland and fatherland around the world through honest, respectful, and uplifting storytelling.
Whether you are discovering Africa for the first time or reflecting on your own journey, we hope Still Smiling reminds you that the greatest adventures often begin with a single courageous step.
Join the Journey
Still Smiling is more than a documentary. It is a growing community of people who believe in the power of storytelling to inspire, educate, and connect us.
Whether you follow the journey, become a supporter, partner with us, or simply share our story, you are helping preserve voices, traditions, and experiences that deserve to be seen and remembered. Thank you for being part of the journey.
Join the JourneyStill Smiling